Autistic children more prone to say extreme things?

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Yes, I've had my 8yo tell me she's "going to kill" me on quite a few occasions too.

It was a major part of the Secret Agent Society program that was the first official treatment DS ever had. http://www.sst-institute.net/ We were fortunate that we got it as therapy, so we didn't have to buy the game - but I highly recommend it. They did both the board game and the video game in his therapy group - the video game spends a lot of time showing animations of the cardiovascular systems and muscular systems as they relate to emotions. It was incredibly helpful.

They do, however, offer the game cards - which I can't verify but I THINK have the information, for $30 http://www.sst-institute.net/us/parents ... ence-pack/ I would ask them before you buy it.

You can also google the 5-point scale; it has been adapted to different ages and situations and kids can also design their own with you.
I came across this resource, which I think it interesting. Check out appendix B in which there is an example of a child's thermometer with emotions and consequences.
http://www.youcandoiteducation.com/refl ... tional.pdf
I think working on putting things in perspective, through these techniques or others, can be really helpful. I teach a program which encourages people to label feelings they are experiencing or observing. It can help develop a wider awareness and vocabulary. I do this with all my kids, but I did notice that my dd on the spectrum fell into a bit of a rut in which she was excited or mad, and didn't really acknowledge disappointment, loneliness, pride, etc. Saying she seems frustrated works better than telling her to stop slamming her door or that it's mean to say she hates someone.
J.

I don't know about kids, but I know that I tend to say things like that and not mean them literally. Ironic, I know since I do take a lot of figurative things literally. I will go completely overboard when making comments in reaction to something and then puzzled when others take me literally.

_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

I was an unwanted child, one day I asked my Mother, "Why didnt you get an abortion"?
It wasn't said to make her feel bad or get an emotional response or anything, it was purely a matter of fact question to me.

Another time in the childrens home, we were on holiday at Herne Bay and the landlady was proudly telling us about her beloved pet dog, so I asked, "When is it going to die"?

Of course I got told off and sent to my room, but I hadn't meant anything nasty, I love animals, I was just asking in a round about way how long dogs live for, how much longer could she experience such happiness with her pet, maybe having lost my primary caregiver, my Grandfather, at age five made me aware that relationships with Loved ones doesn't last long.

Thank you for the links.

Momsparky :I emailed the Secret Agent people and I will report to the group, in a separate thread, if the cards include physical responses to emotions.

Postcards57: That PDF is awesome! Thank you so much. That will help me tremendously. My son needs help on almost everything on there.

Thank you! I will be glad to hear - I may even buy that "pack" myself. We thought about getting the game, but it's kind of a one-off - and incredibly expensive.

This thread has been very reassuring, guys. I've heard "I'm going to kill you" or "I want to kill myself" a few times over the last few weeks, and given how literal the Aspie mind is I wasn't sure whether to just let him cool down or take more serious action.

I cracked up laughing today when my 7yr old HFA daughter told her teacher "I don't give a s**t"
Chip of the old block

On a more serious note she had to write an apology letter...

Are those things really so extreme??

I remember a similar situation.

As a teenager, I had a tough relationship with my cousin. She was very socially skillful, but not very prosocial. One of those people who could get anything she wanted by flashing a smile and some leg, and used it ruthlessly, wantonly, without caring who she hurt. She was aware-- she didn't care.

I wrote in a private journal entry that I "wished someone would take a meat cleaver to her face." It was a metaphor. I never wanted someone to literally chop up the features on the front of her head with a big, sharp knife. That's-- horrid. That shouldn't happen to anybody.

I wanted to see the charming, wonderful, widely beloved, worshipped, and desired girl exposed for the manipulative little b***h she was at 16.

Well, needless to say, I got the cops called on me. I got packed off to the doctor. My aunt was in tears because I was 19 and they couldn't have me forcibly put away for years and years and years.

My father never had the same relationship with them again. I didn't speak to them for about five years. We get along well now-- I figured out what they saw and I hope they figured out their error. We don't talk about it.

I learned, for a few years anyway, to restrict myself to using only very literal language. I laughed maniacally when I read that high-functioning autistics, though we develop speech normally, tend to speak and to interpret things very literally and do not use or understand figurative language. :upsidedown: